COPD

[Tank63]

Diagnosed with COPD last year, which was a suprise as I have never smoked a cigarette. I now get out of breath very quickly and need to loose weight as my weight has shot up to 144kg. Any members on the forum suffer from this awful illness that rid a bike? If so has it helped with your breathing and fitness?

 

[further]

I have it (smoked 40 a day for 30 years ) I find I cope much better after riding, as long as I keep it up.

 

[kingrollo]

Make sure you are under the care of a consultant not just the GP.

Push to try different inhalers...

Warm up before cycling and maybe consider an e-bike.

 

[Tank63]

Thanks for the replies and advice

 

[BoldonLad]

Have you, perhaps, worked in a job which exposed you to risk factors (for example, but, not exclusively... Coal Mining?). Good luck.

 

[numbnuts]

Just a quickie, I was diagnosed with emphysema in 2000 had all the tests and X-rays, 10 years later found out it was a misdiagnose, so maybe get a second opinion. Good luck

 

[Bad Machine]

If you enjoy riding a bike, then using it as your regular exercise will most likely bring you benefit with managing your COPD.

I've looked for one good UK article, but they are either too detailed, or too skimpy with their findings, so I've linked below to two summaries (one UK, one US, both reputable sources) that may be of interest:

https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/copd/managing-my-copd

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4818249/

If you get offered a place on a Pulmonary Rehab course - take it. Not everyone does, but the info you'll pickup from the various healthcare professionals who run them can be really useful.

+1 for the importance of getting the right inhaler (there are many different inhalers, some contain the same type of drug) AND being able to use it properly (they all work, but some are easier to get the right technique with than others).

 

[Tank63]

Thanks for the advice and replies